Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Illumination Blue.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Illumination Bluexe2x80x99.
The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Tochigi, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early flowering Calibrachoa cultivars that have stronger growth and attractive flower coloration.
The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in August, 1997, in Tochigi, Japan, of an unnamed proprietary Calibrachoa selection, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Calibrachoa cultivar Liricashower Blue (erroneously identified as xe2x80x98Petuniaxe2x80x99), disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,885, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan, in October, 1998. The selection of this plant was based on its strong plant growth habit and attractive flower coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Saitama-ken, Japan, since January, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Illumination Blue have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Illumination Bluexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Illumination Bluexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:
1. Cascading and prostrate plant habit.
2. Freely branching growth habit.
3. Early flowering habit.
4. Bright purple-colored flowers with yellow-colored throat.
5. Good weather tolerance; tolerant to wind, rain, and low and high temperatures.
Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent, an unnamed proprietary Calibrachoa selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Tochigi, Japan, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the female parent primarily in growth habit as plants of the new Calibrachoa were more prostrate and not as upright as plants of the female parent.
Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Liricashower Blue. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Tochigi, Japan, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Liricashower Blue in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Liricashower Blue.
2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Liricashower Blue.
3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Liricashower Blue differed in corolla coloration.
Plants of the new cultivar can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,279. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Tochigi, Japan, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had lighter green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu.
2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu.
3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbelkubu differed in corolla coloration.